Intelligent material and fluid systems

Institute o f Fluid Science, Tohoku University, Japan

Abstract

This article presents a review of recent-important developments in the field of intelligent material and fluid systems. Intelligent material and fluid systems, sometimes referred to as smart materials and fluids, can adjust their behavior to changes of external or internal parameters analogously to biological systems. In these systems, sensors, actuators and controllers are seamlessly integrated with structural materials at the macroscopic or mesoscopic level. In general, sensors and actuators are made of functional materials and fluids such as piezoelectric materials, magnetostrictive materials, shape memory alloys, polymer hydrogels, electro- and magneto-rheological fluids and so on. This article is specifically focused on the design of intelligent material and fluid systems used to control the deformation, vibration and fracture of composite materials and structures.